Daily COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to hit record levels in Hong Kong on Thursday as another infected child passed away.
According to the Hospital Authority, 50 people died on Wednesday. Their ages ranged from 52 to 97.
Only six received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Two other were jabbed once.
Five of the 50 fatalities were 60 or younger. They all suffered from chronic illness.
Separately, the authority said a nine-year-old boy who had a chronic illness and was infected with COVID-19 died on Thursday.
He was found to be unconscious on Wednesday night and sent to the United Christian Hospital.
“His condition was very bad when he was admitted. He did not have a heart rate and could not breathe,” said Lau Ka-hin, the Hospital Authority’s chief manager (quality and standards).
Despite efforts to resuscitate him, the patient passed away at 7:07am on Thursday. He later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Lau said the boy was not vaccinated.
The chief manager added that the boy had a genetic muscular disease.
The case has been referred to the Coroner’s Court to determine the cause of death.
The authority also said there were 17 more deaths on Monday and Tuesday, which were not announced previously due to a delay in reporting. They were aged 68 to 93.
A total of 255 COVID-19 patients have died in public hospitals in the fifth wave. Most of them are elderly.
The Centre for Health Protection reported 8,798 new confirmed infections on Thursday, with all but three locally transmitted.
It was also notified by public and private facilities of 17,269 cases that are pending confirmation.
The Hospital Authority said 1,668 of its staff were infected with the virus.
To ease the pressures on the healthcare system, Lau said staff who tested positive or are close contacts of an infected person can inform their supervisor to arrange for them to return to work if they get a negative rapid antigen test result seven days later.
Lau also announced that around 300 beds in Tin Shui Wai Hospital will be converted for COVID-19 patients this Saturday.
He said this is to concentrate resources and manpower.
Lau said the hospital’s accident and emergency department will continue operating, but ambulances will only send those in emergency condition to the hospital.
Other patients will be sent to Tuen Mun Hospital.
Some patients currently in Tin Shui Wai Hospital will be transferred to other hospitals.
Patients visiting the hospital for outpatient services such as radiology and allied health services will be arranged to go to other hospitals or have their consultations via video calls.
Lau also appealed to COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms to patiently wait at home.
He said the Fire Services Department told the authority that for the past few days, more than 30 per cent of the people served by the ambulances were COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms.
This resulted in severe delays by ambulances for 358 cases.
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